Development of a hockey-specific, skate-treadmill VO2 max protocol.

The purpose of this study was to investigate a protocol for the determination of VO2 max utilizing a motor-driven skate treadmill (ST). On separate days, 6 male hockey players completed a ST and a cycle ergometer (BK) VO2 max protocol. The results showed no significant difference between the ST and BK protocols for relative (60.4 +/- 5.09 vs. 59.0 +/- 8.31 ml.kg-1.min-1) and absolute VO2 max values (4.51 +/- 0.50 vs. 4.39 +/- 0.59 L.min-1), respectively. Significantly higher HR max was recorded during the ST protocol (202.3 +/- 4.27 vs. 200.7 +/- 4.55 b.min-1) (p < 0.05). Peak VE and VT were nonsignificant between the two conditions. However, peak f was higher for the ST protocol (63.0 +/- 7.56 vs. 60.2 +/- 7.76 breath.min-1) (p < 0.05). Although the physiological response to both protocols was similar, the ST protocol replicates a hockey stride, which may provide more applicable information for the development of training programs.